1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a color scanner and an automatic setting method of a signal processing conditions, in particular, to the method for automatically or manually setting the signal processing conditions and the color scanner provided with an automatic setting function or by an input means, which signal processing conditions being in the color scanner of a flat bed type. The color scanner is adapted to manufacture separations of C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow) and K (black) colors by halftoning them after the color original is line scanned, color-separated, magnified by the predetermined times, the color separation signals are suitably processed by color correction, sharpness emphasis, gradation conversion and so on. Further, this invention relates to a color scanner capable of performing full-automatic operation from reading of an original till output of an image.
2. Description of the Prior Art
According to one of the conventional method for manufacturing each color separation plate of a plurality of original color images, each original image is halftoned by the predetermined times by means of an image input/output system so as to produce a color separation film, a mask plate produced in a different process and the halftoned color separation film are laid out on and adhered to layout sheet, and the layout sheet is adherently exposed to light. However, the conventional method for manufacturing color separation has disadvantages, such as many processing steps, a necessity of skilled craftmen for precisely positioning and adhering the color separation at the predetermined places of the layout sheet, much time, much laborous and skillful work, and much material.
There is another conventional method for reproducing the color image, in which method a plurality of original color images respectively are printed in color by the predetermined times, the reproduced original images are cut out in the predetermined shape of an image on the predetermined block copy, the cut out images are laid out and adhered on the predetermined positions of the block copy board. However, becauses the conventional method has used a photographic technique, it is not possible to freely change a color correction processing, a sharpness emphasis, and a gradation conversion, resulting in poor image quality. In addition, there has been an apparatus output-layouting simultaneously square images through a plurality of input apparatus (refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 31762/1977). According to the conventional apparatus for outputting square image. It is difficult to correspond to all or any shapes of the image, is necessary of laborous works for producing the mask plate and of a plurality of input scanning section used to input the color original.
Recently, a layout retouch system which is so called as a total system for plate making process of the printing industry has been proposed, in which system the images are inputted through a digitizer in order to display images and patterns on a color CRT. The color original image is color-scanned with a designated magnification and the scanned image is stored in a memory device after A/D-converting. Then, the stored color original image information is displayed on the color CRT according to the inputted image information, the displaying image is editted in a main memory device of a computer through an interactive input system and then the resultant is again stored in a magnetic disc or the like with a format corresponding to the outputted display. Next, the color image information corresponding to the display or scene editted and outputted is D/A-converted and inputted to the output control circuit of a color scanner in order to obtain the desired laid out image. The layout retouch system above necessitates disadvantageously a memory medium of much capacity for storing the information of the color original image and a high speed computer for editting or processing the information, resulting in a cost rising of the whole construction of the system and a time increase for editting or processing the information.
Another conventional system for inputting and outputting the image, which has been improved to solve the shortcomings mentioned above, is shown in FIG. 1 and described in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 11062/1984. According to the conventional system shown in FIG. 1, a color original 2 applied on a rotary input drum 1 is outputted as an image on a recording material, for example, a color paper 11 pasted on an output drum 10, which rotating according to the image information inputted through a digitizer 14 of an image input apparatus. In the image input/output system above, the color original 2 is color-scanned by a reading head 21 in order to color separate and the color separation signal CS obtained is inputted to a logarithmic converting circuit 3. The color separation signal CS is converted to density signals DN through the logarithmic converting circuit 3 and then it is converted to digital density signal DS by an A/D converter 4. The digital density signal DS is inputted to a signal processing section 5 and a microprocessor 12. In the signal processing section 5, a color correction processing, a sharpness emphasis, and a gradation conversion are carried out, the color-processed image information DSA is converted to analog signals through a D/A converter 6 and inputted to a modulator 8 installed in a laser beam printer in order to modulate a laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator 7 and expose the color paper 11 pasted on the output drum 10 by means of an output head (not shown).
While, it is necessary to install in the system a console 16 provided with a keyboard through which data and commands are inputted. According to the conventional system, the data and the commands or instruction inputted through the console 16 are inputted to the computer 13 for processing these data and commands outputting information and the information is displayed on an interactive graphic display 15. The computer 13 is connected to a microprocessor 12 of a lower-level system, the microprocessor 12 receives the density signal DS outputted from the A/D converter 4 and further connected to the signal processing section 5 in order to function the process. The computer 13 and the microprocessor 12 constructs a computer system and the system displays the instruction for the operator and the like on the graphic display 15 according to the instored programs. The positions of the input drum 1 and the output drum 10 are respectively detected by detectors (now shown) and the positional informations are inputted into the motion control section 9. The microprocessor 12 is adapted to be connected to the motion control section 5 so as to relatively drive and control the positional relationship of the input drum 1 and the output drum 10. The digitizer 14 has an original coordinate and X-Y axes of its own, and the origin coordinate can be easily moved to any points and the X-Y axes can easily rotate by processing the signal. The corresponding relationship between the image position on the input drum 1 and the digitizer 14 is determined by installing guides, such as pins at the common plural position. The digitizer 14 is connected to the computer 13 to which the shape of the images and desired positional coordinates are inputted.
In the image input/output system shown in FIG. 1, it is noted that the color original 2 is pasted directly to the smooth outer face of the cylindrical input drum 1 as shown in FIG. 2, which drum being made of acrylic resins, glass or the like. The input drum 1 has a light source 20 therein and the light source illuminates the color original 2 and the light beam LT passes through the cylindrical wall of the input drum 1. The reading head 21 situated outside of the input drum 1 receives the passed light beam LT, so that the image of the color original 2 is inputted to the reading head 21. In the condition, if there is a space or gap of a length about wavelength of the beam of the light source 20 between the color original 2 and the input drum 1, a Newton ring (interference fringe) is formed by an interference phenomenon happened on the surface between the rear face of the color original 2 and the front face of the input drum 1, so that the Newton ring is appeared on the color original 2 in the shape of stripes or density irregularity, deteriorating the quality of the original considerably.
According to the conventional method, in order to prevent the interference stripes from forming, super fine particle powder has been scattered or applied between the color original 2 and the input drum 1 or filler agent is coated on the cylindrical drum 1. However, the fine particle powder has disadvantages, such as the outlines of particles are clearly seen when the multiplication of the image is high and the powder is troublesome to handle, and the filling agent has shortcomings, such as the application or coating and removing or wiping-out of the agent is very difficult to do them completely.
It is known that the image input/output system of the prior art receives an image information on the original film and the like, functions to enlarge or reduce the image, and outputs the image with an any layout on the display or some output device. The image input/output system must know or determine the coordinates of the color original 2 on the input drum 1 in order to layout the image during the reading of the original as shown in FIG. 2. Consequently, as shown in FIG. 3, the the color original 2 is pasted on the original pasting base 22 of transparent and square-shaped sheet by pasting tapes 23. Positioning holes 24 formed in the original pasting base sheet 22 are fitted onto the corresponding pins of the digitizer so as to input the coordinates of the particular or necessary portion of the color original 2 to the image input/output system. Then, the positioning holes 24 of the original pasting base sheet 22 are fitted securely onto the corresponding pins 25 planted on the input drum 1 as shown in FIG. 4. As next step, the light source 20 in the interior of the input drum 1 as shown in FIG. 2 irradiates the color original 2 and the reading head 21 receives the passed light beam LT through the drum wall and the coloriginal 2, so that the image of the color original 2 is inputted to the reading heat 21. The inputted image is compared to the coordinates inputted by the digitizer so as to layout the image.
Furthermore, the conventional image input/output system necessitates expert operators determing and settling the separating conditions and signal processing conditions and the time used to the condition determination is considerably longer than that of the system for which time the system actually processes the separating operation and the signal processing. Then, operation of the conventional image input/output system for setting the parameter is complicated, so that psychological burden upon the operator is very heavy. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 37378/1985 specification describes an automatic setting system of a gradation conversion table of the image input/output system, which system determines directly solely the setting condition from the inputted character values. It is noted that any macro-sized information in the original fails to have a rule and accordingly the presumption precision of the parameter has a limit. Another example of Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 111570/1987 describes an automatic setting process of signal processing condition, an operation of the condition setting of which process depends on selective appointment of the basis of the subjective judgement of the operator for the automatic setting machine, so that the operation has shortcomings, such as uneffectiveness and non-correctness.
Generally, conventional color scanners are of drum scanner type in which an original to be read and outputted is pasted on an input drum by means of an pasting tapes or the like for enabling reading. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the conventional color scanner has an input section 30 which scans and reads a color reversal film original so as to produce a color separation signal CS composed of color of red (R), green (G) and blue (B). The color separation signal CS is delivered to an image processing section 40A which produces a dot % signal DS and delivers it to an output section 50, whereby a halftone film compose of four color images of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (K) is obtained from the output section 50. The image processing section 40A is arranged such that an operator can externally and manually input a set-up condition SU which directly viewing the original or monitoring the image of the original displayed on a display device.
As stated above, the conventional color scanner is constructed such that the operator determines and inputs the set-up condition SU for each of the originals. The input is conducted by manipulating dials, keys or the like. In addition, the conventional color scanner of drum-scan type requires a troublesome work for setting the original on the cylinder or drum. In addition, replacement of the cylinder is necessary when the magnification has to be changed largely. Moreover, the setting of the original on the input section 30 also is conducted manually. Thus, the conventional color scanner was quite far from full-automation of the image forming process.